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Latest Technology news, comment and analysis from the Guardian, the world's leading liberal voiceen-gbGuardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2018Mon, 19 Mar 2018 13:20:38 GMT2018-03-19T13:20:38Zen-gbGuardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2018The Guardianhttps://assets.guim.co.uk/images/guardian-logo-rss.c45beb1bafa34b347ac333af2e6fe23f.pnghttps://www.theguardian.com
Windows 10: Microsoft is looking to force people to use its Edge browserhttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/19/windows-10-microsoft-force-people-edge-browser-windows-mail-chrome-firefox
<p>Company looks for feedback on change that will make Windows Mail links open in Edge even if users have Chrome or Firefox set as default </p><p><br>Microsoft is looking to force users into using its Edge browser, by making it default for opening links from email.</p><p>Having struggled to entice users to ditch market-leader Chrome, or even its older, now decommissioned Internet Explorer, Microsoft is going to try and force it on people.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/19/windows-10-microsoft-force-people-edge-browser-windows-mail-chrome-firefox">Continue reading...</a>Windows 10WindowsMicrosoftComputingChromeInternet ExplorerInternetTechnologyWeb browsersSoftwareMon, 19 Mar 2018 12:46:36 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/19/windows-10-microsoft-force-people-edge-browser-windows-mail-chrome-firefoxPhotograph: Brian Snyder/ReutersPhotograph: Brian Snyder/ReutersSamuel Gibbs2018-03-19T12:46:36Z'We've been too slow to regulate Facebook': your best comments todayhttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/19/weve-been-too-slow-to-regulate-facebook-your-best-comments-today
<p>A look at some of the most interesting discussion today, including around Cambridge Analytica and Facebook revelations<br></p><p>Revelations about <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/cambridge-analytica">Cambridge Analytica and Facebook</a> have provoked thoughtful discussion around the site on Monday. We’re also looking at a conversation on Brexit after <a draggable="true" href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/19/war-childhood-brexit-peace-impact-leaving-eu-uk">Patrick Stewart wrote about his fears</a> – and the end of <a draggable="true" href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2018/mar/19/six-nations-2018-verdict-guardian-writers-on-their-highs-and-lows#comments">a good few weeks of rugby for Ireland</a>. <br tabindex="-1"></p><p>To join in the conversation you can click on the links in the comments below to expand and add your thoughts. We’ll continue to highlight more comments worth reading as the day goes on.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/19/weve-been-too-slow-to-regulate-facebook-your-best-comments-today">Continue reading...</a>FacebookCambridge AnalyticaMediaSocial networkingTechnologyUK newsMon, 19 Mar 2018 12:01:27 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/19/weve-been-too-slow-to-regulate-facebook-your-best-comments-todayPhotograph: Dado Ruvic/ReutersPhotograph: Dado Ruvic/ReutersGuardian readers2018-03-19T12:01:27Z'It might work too well': the dark art of political advertising onlinehttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/19/facebook-political-ads-social-media-history-online-democracy
<p>Digital campaigns have evolved from banner ads 20 years ago to Cambridge Analytica harvesting our Facebook data. Has the rise of micro-targeting become a threat to democracy? <br></p><p>Alan Gould was hitting a wall. It was the late 1990s, and the political advertising operative had an idea about using a relatively newfangled tool – banner ads on web sites – to promote political candidates. “It was pretty clear to me at the time that the ability to target and tailor messaging was perfect for political campaigns,” Gould recalled recently. “I did a whole presentation on the internet and the power to connect, track, do fundraising, target.” </p><p>But when Gould finished his pitches, he would be met with blank stares. “I was a very lonely pied piper,” he says. </p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/19/facebook-political-ads-social-media-history-online-democracy">Continue reading...</a>InternetTechnologyFacebookGoogleSocial networkingUS politicsUS newsUS elections 2016Mon, 19 Mar 2018 08:00:27 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/19/facebook-political-ads-social-media-history-online-democracyPhotograph: Jon Elswick/APPhotograph: Jon Elswick/APJulia Carrie Wong in San Francisco2018-03-19T08:00:27ZSnapchat's UK ad revenue set to overtake Twitter's next yearhttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/19/snapchat-uk-ad-revenue-overtake-twitter-next-year
<p>UK arm – which earns about 10% of app’s global ad revenues – is forecast to bring in £181m</p><p>Snapchat is so popular in Britain that its advertising revenue will overtake Twitter’s UK revenue in 2019, and revenue from consumer magazine and cinema advertising within two years.</p><p>The seven-year old phone app is hugely popular with younger users, <a draggable="true" href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/12/is-facebook-for-old-people-over-55s-flock-in-as-the-young-leave">many of whom have flocked from older social media platforms such as Facebook</a>, and advertisers are beginning to spend increasingly large amounts of their digital ad budgets on targeting its users.<br tabindex="-1"></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/19/snapchat-uk-ad-revenue-overtake-twitter-next-year">Continue reading...</a>SnapchatTwitterTechnologySocial mediaUK newsInternetMediaInstagramDigital mediaBusinessMedia businessMon, 19 Mar 2018 05:01:23 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/19/snapchat-uk-ad-revenue-overtake-twitter-next-yearPhotograph: Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesPhotograph: Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesMark Sweney Media business correspondent2018-03-19T05:01:23ZDangers of digital dependency | Lettershttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/18/dangers-of-digital-dependency
Technological addiction was a problem even in the early days of computer programming, according to <strong>Dave Smith</strong>, while <strong>Peter McKenna</strong> says search engine algorithms alone are not to blame for gender bias<p>I found Moya Sarner’s article on digital addiction and her story of Lady Geek’s reverse ferret from digital guru to prophet of doom absorbing, timely, and somehow familiar (<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/15/meet-the-tech-evangelist-who-now-fears-for-our-mental-health" title="">Is it time to fight the digital dictators?</a>, 15 March). She also quotes Professor Mark Griffiths, director of the International Gaming Research Unit at Nottingham Trent University as having invented the term “technological addiction” in 1995. In 1971 I started a degree in maths, electronics and physics at Chelsea College, University of London which involved a certain amount of programming on the college’s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elliott_803" title="">Elliott 803 mainframe</a>.</p><p>I remember clearly our lecturer warning us very sternly about the dangers of getting over-involved in programming, quoting the case of an earlier student who had spent so many nights in the computer room, addicted to getting his programs just-so, that he neglected all his other studies and eventually failed to make progress in anything. Remember that this was back in the days when our programs were written in Fortran on decks of hand-punched 80-column cards.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/18/dangers-of-digital-dependency">Continue reading...</a>ComputingTechnologyFacebookSocial networkingMediaTwitterInternetSun, 18 Mar 2018 18:06:19 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/18/dangers-of-digital-dependencyPhotograph: Tanya GoodinPhotograph: Tanya GoodinLetters2018-03-18T18:06:19ZInvestors in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies face hefty tax billshttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/18/cryptocurrency-bitcoin-irs-tax
<p>According to the Internal Revenue Service, anything purchased using a digital currency is liable to be taxed as a capital gain </p><p>The rollercoaster ride for some cryptocurrency investors could be about to take another tax-time lurch, according to experts, as the taxman looks for his share of transactions made using bitcoin and its like. </p><p>Wild fluctuations in the value of digital currencies – <a draggable="true" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/12/use-caution-before-joining-bitcoin-frenzy.html">bitcoin</a> surged from less than one dollar in 2010 to $997 at the start of the 2017 to nearly $20,000 before settling back to around $8,500 on<a draggable="true" href="https://www.coindesk.com/price/"> Friday</a> – have exposed investors to tax bills the value of their coins may no longer meet. </p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/18/cryptocurrency-bitcoin-irs-tax">Continue reading...</a>CryptocurrenciesBitcoinBusinessTechnologyTax and spendingSun, 18 Mar 2018 11:59:21 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/18/cryptocurrency-bitcoin-irs-taxPhotograph: Gillian Flaccus/APPhotograph: Gillian Flaccus/APEdward Helmore in New York2018-03-18T11:59:21ZSpace stations: our future among the starshttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/18/space-stations-iss-decommissioned-next-generation-orbital-base
<p>Once the International Space Station is decommissioned in 2028, what will the next generation of orbital bases look like?</p><p><a href="https://chinapower.csis.org/chinese-space-station/"><br></a></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/18/space-stations-iss-decommissioned-next-generation-orbital-base">Continue reading...</a>International Space StationTechnologySpaceScienceNasaSun, 18 Mar 2018 06:59:02 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/18/space-stations-iss-decommissioned-next-generation-orbital-basePhotograph: Chinese News ServicePhotograph: Chinese News ServiceIan Tucker2018-03-18T06:59:02ZAston Martin Valkyrie preview: ‘A car to bring on a fit of the vapours’ | Martin Lovehttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/18/aston-martin-valkyrie-preview-geneva-motor-show-launch-hypercar
<p>Only a handful of these stunning track cars are going to be built, but that won’t stop millions of us lusting after them</p><p><strong>Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro hypercar<br></strong><strong>Price </strong>Don’t ask<br><strong>Engine</strong> V12<br><strong>Top speed</strong> 225mph</p><p>You can’t buy this car. Well, you could. But they’re only making 25 and, despite the fact they won’t be ready until 2020, all have already been sold. For autophiliacs, it’s this sort of hypercar, complete with thunderous 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine which churns out 1,100bhp – comfortably exceeding the magic 1 to 1 ratio for power-to-weight – that brings on a fit of the vapours. But then that is just what the <a href="https://www.gims.swiss/en/">Geneva international motor show</a> is all about.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/18/aston-martin-valkyrie-preview-geneva-motor-show-launch-hypercar">Continue reading...</a>MotoringTechnologyLife and styleSun, 18 Mar 2018 06:00:01 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/18/aston-martin-valkyrie-preview-geneva-motor-show-launch-hypercarPhotograph: PR Company HandoutPhotograph: PR Company HandoutMartin Love2018-03-18T06:00:01ZHow Cambridge Analytica turned Facebook ‘likes’ into a lucrative political toolhttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/17/facebook-cambridge-analytica-kogan-data-algorithm
<p>The algorithm used in the Facebook data breach trawled though personal data for information on sexual orientation, race, gender – and even intelligence and childhood trauma</p><p>The algorithm at the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/mar/17/cambridge-analytica-facebook-influence-us-election">heart of the Facebook data breach</a> sounds almost too dystopian to be real. It trawls through the most apparently trivial, throwaway postings –the “likes” users dole out as they browse the site – to gather sensitive personal information about sexual orientation, race, gender, even intelligence and childhood trauma.</p><p>A few dozen “likes” can give a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/oct/26/cambridge-analytica-used-data-from-facebook-and-politico-to-help-trump">strong prediction of which party a user will vote for</a>, reveal their gender and whether their partner is likely to be a man or woman, provide powerful clues about whether their parents stayed together throughout their childhood and predict their vulnerability to substance abuse. And it can do all this without an need for delving into personal messages, posts, status updates, photos or all the other information Facebook holds.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/17/facebook-cambridge-analytica-kogan-data-algorithm">Continue reading...</a>Big dataFacebookCambridge AnalyticaMediaTechnologyUK newsSat, 17 Mar 2018 13:02:04 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/17/facebook-cambridge-analytica-kogan-data-algorithmPhotograph: The Washington Post/Getty ImagesPhotograph: The Washington Post/Getty ImagesCarole Cadwalladr and Emma Graham-Harrison2018-03-17T13:02:04ZWelcome to Powder Mountain – a utopian club for the millennial elitehttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/16/powder-mountain-ski-resort-summit-elite-club-rich-millennials
<p>When these young entrepreneurs bought a remote ski resort in Utah, they dreamed of an exclusive, socially conscious community. Is this the future, or Mt Olympus for Generation Me? </p><p>Jeff Rosenthal is standing near the top of his snow-covered mountain wearing a fluffy jacket, fingerless gloves and ripped jeans. “It’s surreal, man!” he says, shivering as he surveys the landscape of newly laid roads and half-built homes. “That’s Ken Howery’s house, the co-founder of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/paypal">PayPal</a>. Awesome house!”<br></p><p>He lists the other investors who are turning this remote Utah community into a crucible of “generational ideology, innovation and entrepreneurship”. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/richard-branson">Richard Branson</a> will have a house here, and so will the world’s most powerful marketing executive, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/sir-martin-sorrell">Martin Sorrell</a>. The Hollywood producer <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0792049/">Stacey Sher</a> and the actor <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/sep/20/sophia-bush-jon-favreau-donald-trump-cruel-campaign">Sophia Bush</a> will be their neighbours, as will Miguel McKelvey, a co-founder of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global/2016/jan/11/wework-transforming-office-life-and-home-life-carole-cadwalladr">WeWork</a>, and the renowned technology investor and author of <a href="https://www.guardianbookshop.com/4-hour-work-week.html">The 4-Hour Work Week</a>, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/jan/15/tim-ferriss-self-help-guru-interview-what-drives-him">Tim Ferriss</a>.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/16/powder-mountain-ski-resort-summit-elite-club-rich-millennials">Continue reading...</a>Silicon ValleyUtahTechnology sectorTechnologyDavosElon MuskSir Martin SorrellPeter ThielEntrepreneursBusinessUS newsFri, 16 Mar 2018 14:00:06 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/16/powder-mountain-ski-resort-summit-elite-club-rich-millennialsPhotograph: Hardy Wilson for the GuardianPhotograph: Hardy Wilson for the GuardianPaul Lewis2018-03-16T14:00:06ZThe Cambridge Analytica exposé shows the UK needs better data protection | Liam Byrnehttps://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/19/cambridge-analytica-uk-data-protection-salisbury-russia-hybrid-warfare
From the savagery in Salisbury to ‘dark social ads’, Russia’s hybrid warfare is here and needs a swift response. US law may have the answer<p>The Observer’s remarkable exposé of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/series/cambridge-analytica-files">Cambridge Analytica</a> must now bring down the curtain on the permissive environment for online electoral sabotage. It’s time for new laws, starting with a new UK version of the <a href="https://www.npr.org/2017/10/19/558847414/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-honest-ads-act">Honest Ads Act</a> proposed in Congress, so voters finally learn who is targeting them with what “news” – and who’s writing the cheques. And that’s the amendment I’ll propose to the data protection bill this week.</p><p>It’s not just the revelations about Cambridge Analytica that require us to act. The savagery in Salisbury brings with it a new truth. “Hybrid war”, fought for five years without mercy in the Ukraine, Crimea and the Baltics, has now arrived on our shores.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/19/cambridge-analytica-uk-data-protection-salisbury-russia-hybrid-warfare">Continue reading...</a>RussiaData protectionEuropeWorld newsCyberwarHackingInternetEspionageTechnologyCybercrimeSergei SkripalLabourUS CongressCambridge AnalyticaMon, 19 Mar 2018 09:47:42 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/19/cambridge-analytica-uk-data-protection-salisbury-russia-hybrid-warfarePhotograph: Shawn Thew/EPAPhotograph: Shawn Thew/EPALiam Byrne2018-03-19T09:47:42ZAdrian Lamo, hacker who turned in Chelsea Manning, dies aged 37https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/mar/16/adrian-lamo-dead-chelsea-manning-wikileaks
<ul><li>Lamo testified about Manning’s release of documents to WikiLeaks<br></li><li>Cause of death was not immediately known <br></li></ul><p>Adrian Lamo, the computer hacker who turned in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jan/19/chelsea-manning-interview-wikileaks-senate-maryland">whistleblower Chelsea Manning</a> to law enforcement, has died at the age of 37, according to authorities in Kansas.</p><p>Lamo, who <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/04/adrian-lamo-testifies-bradley-manning">testified</a> about Manning’s release of documents to WikiLeaks, was <a href="http://www.kentucky.com/news/business/article205597399.html">confirmed</a> dead on Friday by authorities in Sedgwick County. The coroner’s office has not responded to inquiries about the cause of his death.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/mar/16/adrian-lamo-dead-chelsea-manning-wikileaks">Continue reading...</a>US newsChelsea ManningHackingWikiLeaksTechnologyFri, 16 Mar 2018 23:35:55 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/mar/16/adrian-lamo-dead-chelsea-manning-wikileaksPhotograph: The Washington Post/Washington Post/Getty ImagesPhotograph: The Washington Post/Washington Post/Getty ImagesSam Levin in San Francisco2018-03-16T23:35:55ZFormer Equifax executive charged with insider trading after data breachhttps://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/mar/14/equifax-insider-trading-data-breach-jun-ying-charged
<ul><li>Former chief information officer Jun Ying sold nearly $1m in shares </li><li>Ying allegedly learned of breach days before it was made public</li></ul><p>A former Equifax executive has been charged with insider trading after he sold nearly $1m of shares in the credit agency before the company announced a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/sep/07/equifax-credit-breach-hack-social-security">huge data breach.</a></p><p>Federal prosecutors announced the charges against Jun Ying, the former chief information officer of Equifax’s US Information Solutions, on Wednesday.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/mar/14/equifax-insider-trading-data-breach-jun-ying-charged">Continue reading...</a>Securities and Exchange CommissionBusinessUS newsHackingTechnologyWorld newsRegulatorsStock marketsWed, 14 Mar 2018 17:06:46 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/mar/14/equifax-insider-trading-data-breach-jun-ying-chargedPhotograph: Justin Lane/EPAPhotograph: Justin Lane/EPADominic Rushe in New York2018-03-14T17:06:46ZNorth Korea is a bigger cyber-attack threat than Russia, says experthttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/26/north-korea-cyber-attack-threat-russia
<p>Head of security firm says highly skilled DPRK hackers may attack US financial sector to deter military action against the regime</p><p>North Korea poses a bigger threat of large-scale cyber-attacks than Russia, according to the co-founder of the information security firm that investigated the 2016 Democratic National Committee hacks.</p><p>Speaking to the Guardian, Crowdstrike’s Dmitri Alperovitch said: “In 2018, my biggest worry is actually about North Korea. I worry a great deal that they may do a destructive attack, perhaps against our financial sector, in an attempt to deter a potential US strike against either their nuclear facilities or even the regime itself.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/26/north-korea-cyber-attack-threat-russia">Continue reading...</a>CyberwarHackingCybercrimeTechnologyNorth KoreaAsia PacificWorld newsRussiaEuropeMon, 26 Feb 2018 10:58:52 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/26/north-korea-cyber-attack-threat-russiaPhotograph: YONHAP/AFP/Getty ImagesPhotograph: YONHAP/AFP/Getty ImagesAlex Hern2018-02-26T10:58:52ZGrowth of AI could boost cybercrime and security threats, report warnshttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/21/ai-security-threats-cybercrime-political-disruption-physical-attacks-report
<p>Experts say action must be taken to control artificial intelligence tech </p><p>Wanton proliferation of artificial intelligence technologies could enable new forms of cybercrime, political disruption and even physical attacks within five years, a group of 26 experts from around the world have warned. </p><p><a href="http://www.maliciousaireport.com/">In a new report</a>, the academic, industry and the charitable sector experts, describe AI as a “dual use technology” with potential military and civilian uses, akin to nuclear power, explosives and hacking tools.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/21/ai-security-threats-cybercrime-political-disruption-physical-attacks-report">Continue reading...</a>Artificial intelligence (AI)TechnologyComputingCybercrimeInternetPoliticsDrones (military)Drones (non-military)HackingUK newsWorld newsWed, 21 Feb 2018 06:01:13 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/21/ai-security-threats-cybercrime-political-disruption-physical-attacks-reportPhotograph: Patrik Stollarz/AFP/Getty ImagesPhotograph: Patrik Stollarz/AFP/Getty ImagesAlex Hern2018-02-21T06:01:13ZStudy reveals North Korean cyber-espionage has reached new heightshttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/20/north-korea-cyber-war-spying-study-fire-eye
<p>Spying unit is widening its operations into aerospace and defence industries, according to US security firm </p><p>An increasingly sophisticated North Korean cyber-espionage unit is using its skills to widen spying operations to aerospace and defence industries, a new study has revealed.</p><p>FireEye, a US private security company that tracks cyber-attackers around the world, has identified a North Korean group, which it names APT37 (Reaper) and which it says is using malware to infiltrate computer networks.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/20/north-korea-cyber-war-spying-study-fire-eye">Continue reading...</a>North KoreaUS newsAsia PacificCyberwarCybercrimeTechnologyEspionageHackingInternetWorld newsTue, 20 Feb 2018 12:31:41 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/20/north-korea-cyber-war-spying-study-fire-eyePhotograph: KCNA/ReutersPhotograph: KCNA/ReutersDavid Taylor in New York2018-02-20T12:31:41ZHuge cryptojacking campaign earns just $24 for hackershttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/14/cryptojacking-campaign-24-dollars-hackers-cryptocurrency-salon
<p>Though 5,000-site attack suggests forcing visitors to mine cryptocurrency offers scant reward, it hasn’t stopped news platform Salon</p><p>A malware attack that turned thousands of websites into cryptocurrency mining engines made just $24, according to the company that develops the software used.</p><p>On Sunday, hackers <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/11/government-websites-hit-by-cryptocurrency-mining-malware">compromised an accessibility plugin</a>, BrowseAloud, which is used to offer screen-reading services on a number of websites including the Information Commissioner’s Office, the Student Loans Company and several English councils.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/14/cryptojacking-campaign-24-dollars-hackers-cryptocurrency-salon">Continue reading...</a>CryptocurrenciesHackingTechnologyMediaMedia businessWed, 14 Feb 2018 12:46:41 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/14/cryptojacking-campaign-24-dollars-hackers-cryptocurrency-salonPhotograph: South_agency/Getty ImagesPhotograph: South_agency/Getty ImagesAlex Hern2018-02-14T12:46:41ZCryptojacking attack hits Australian government websiteshttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/12/cryptojacking-attack-hits-australian-government-websites
<p>Hackers used plug-in to force computers to secretly mine cryptocurrency</p><p>A series of Australian government websites, including the Victorian parliament’s, have been compromised by malware that forces visitors’ computers to secretly mine cryptocurrency, as part of a worldwide security breach. </p><p>The process, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/dec/13/video-site-visitors-unwittingly-mine-cryptocurrency-as-they-watch-report-openload-streamango-rapidvideo-onlinevideoconverter-monero">known as cryptojacking</a>, forces a user’s computer to mine cryptocurrency without their permission, generating profits for the hacker.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/12/cryptojacking-attack-hits-australian-government-websites">Continue reading...</a>CybercrimeCryptocurrenciesHackingInternetAustralia newsVictoriaQueenslandMon, 12 Feb 2018 01:48:04 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/12/cryptojacking-attack-hits-australian-government-websitesPhotograph: Dave Hunt/AAPPhotograph: Dave Hunt/AAPNaaman Zhou2018-02-12T01:48:04ZHow a Tory MP's tweeted apology proves Labour is still winning at social mediahttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/06/tory-conservative-mp-ben-bradley-tweeted-apology-jeremy-corbyn-labour-social-media
<p>Ben Bradley’s apology to Jeremy Corbyn was retweeted 55,000 times. Does this mean social media is the future of political recourse?</p><p>Congratulations to Ben Bradley, Conservative MP for Mansfield, who, in little over a week, has managed to clock up more retweets – 55,000 – <a href="https://politicalscrapbook.net/2018/02/ben-bradleys-apology-to-jeremy-corbyn-shared-more-than-every-tory-party-tweet-in-2018-combined/">than all of the Tory party’s tweets in 2018 combined</a>. </p><p>Unfortunately for Bradley, the <a href="https://twitter.com/bbradleymp/status/967526680188375040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">tweet in question</a> was part of a legal agreement following a defamatory post sent about Jeremy Corbyn, in which he said that the Labour leader had “sold secrets to communist spies”. A slur related to a right-wing press fabricated story that Corbyn cooperated with a Czech intelligence agent in the 1980s.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/06/tory-conservative-mp-ben-bradley-tweeted-apology-jeremy-corbyn-labour-social-media">Continue reading...</a>TwitterInternetTechnologyFacebookSocial mediaDigital mediaConservativesLabourPoliticsMediaUK newsJeremy CorbynBloggingNewspapers & magazinesSocial networkingTue, 06 Mar 2018 07:00:04 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/06/tory-conservative-mp-ben-bradley-tweeted-apology-jeremy-corbyn-labour-social-mediaPhotograph: Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty ImagesPhotograph: Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty ImagesHannah Jane Parkinson2018-03-06T07:00:04ZIs Spotify really worth $20bn?https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/02/is-spotify-really-worth-20bn
<p>Music service will soon have its IPO and investors think it can be as big as Netflix. Are they right?</p><p>When Spotify lists on the New York Stock Exchange in the coming weeks the loss-making music streaming service is likely to be valued at more than $20bn (£15bn): such is the faith of investors in its charismatic Swedish founder, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/feb/10/spotify-daniel-ek-most-powerful-person-music-business">Daniel Ek</a>. </p><p>Ek, they believe, can build Europe’s answer to Netflix – a global cultural behemoth that can take on industry incumbents and the big four technology companies at the same time, and come out on top. If Netflix can overturn Hollywood, then Spotify can transform the music industry. At least that is the hope among US fund managers.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/02/is-spotify-really-worth-20bn">Continue reading...</a>SpotifyIPOsMusic industryDigital music and audioTechnologyMusic streamingBusinessStock marketsUS newsInvestingDaniel EkInternetMediaMusicCultureFri, 02 Mar 2018 15:53:26 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/02/is-spotify-really-worth-20bnPhotograph: Alamy Stock PhotoPhotograph: Alamy Stock PhotoAlex Hern2018-03-02T15:53:26ZAustralian retailers resilient as they face down 'Amazon effect'https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/14/australian-retailers-resilient-as-they-face-down-amazon-effect
<p>Analysts say local competitors are as profitable as before the global giant’s ‘underwhelming’ launch – but for how much longer?</p><p>Three months after the launch of Amazon in Australia, local competitors say they are still waiting for the dreaded “Amazon effect” to hit their sales.<br></p><p>Analysts, and some of the retailers themselves, say they are still as profitable as before Amazon’s “underwhelming” launch – for now.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/14/australian-retailers-resilient-as-they-face-down-amazon-effect">Continue reading...</a>AmazonAustralia newsBusiness (Australia)Retail industryTue, 13 Feb 2018 23:19:29 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/14/australian-retailers-resilient-as-they-face-down-amazon-effectPhotograph: Aaron Chown/PAPhotograph: Aaron Chown/PANaaman Zhou2018-02-13T23:19:29ZBitcoin: what have experts said about the cryptocurrency?https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/08/bitcoin-what-the-experts-have-said
<p>The most memorable comments on the cryptocurrency from senior figures in world finance</p><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/08/ecb-official-backs-bitcoin-clampdown">•ECB official backs bitcoin clampdown</a><br></p><p>Bitcoin’s gyrations have attracted a lot of attention over the past year. Here are some of the most memorable comments from senior figures in world finance.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/08/bitcoin-what-the-experts-have-said">Continue reading...</a>BitcoinCryptocurrenciesE-commerceTechnologyInternetCurrenciesEconomicsThu, 08 Feb 2018 17:02:25 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/08/bitcoin-what-the-experts-have-saidPhotograph: Chesnot/Getty ImagesPhotograph: Chesnot/Getty ImagesJulia Kollewe2018-02-08T17:02:25ZStar Wars: Legion perfectly captures the saga's heart-pounding battleshttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/mar/16/star-wars-legion-perfectly-captures-the-sagas-heart-pounding-battles
<p>Recreate a galaxy far, far away on your kitchen table; compete to dominate a woodland canopy; or beat rival Japanese artists in a race to paint the emperor in our roundup of this month’s new board games<br></p><p><em>2 players, 60-120 minutes, ages 14+, £79.99<br>Designer: Alex Davy</em></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/mar/16/star-wars-legion-perfectly-captures-the-sagas-heart-pounding-battles">Continue reading...</a>Board gamesGamesStar WarsCultureLife and styleFri, 16 Mar 2018 11:54:39 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/mar/16/star-wars-legion-perfectly-captures-the-sagas-heart-pounding-battlesPhotograph: Fantasy Flight GamesPhotograph: Fantasy Flight GamesOwen Duffy2018-03-16T11:54:39ZYakuza 6: The Song of Life review - gangster saga bids sayonara to its stoic herohttps://www.theguardian.com/games/2018/mar/15/yakuza-6-song-life-review-gangster-game-saga
<p>Kazuma Kiryu’s final outing is an emotionally charged tale of familial bonds and the violence that threatens to rip them asunder</p><p>A video-game character’s story is often over after a single game; only a lucky few get to hang around longer. Few can equal Yakuza star Kazuma Kiryu’s run. His <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/gamesblog/2011/mar/15/yakuza-4-game-review">story stretches back to the PlayStation 2</a>, spanning six games set all over modern-day Japan, two period spinoffs and a zombie-themed offshoot. In the pitiless Tokyo underworld of the Yakuza games, gangsters’ lives are often cut brutally short – but this is one goodbye that’s rare and special.</p><p>To his chagrin, Kiryu is drawn back to Kamurocho, the Tokyo nightlife district where he made his name as one of the city’s most feared and respected figures in 2005’s first <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/gamesblog/2010/mar/15/yakuza-3-game-review-ps3">Yakuza game</a>. This is a city constantly under renovation, overhauled every few years as technologyimproves. Kiryu might be reluctant to return to Tokyo, but for players it is a pleasure. At night especially, it feels alluring and dangerous, a maelstrom of neon and noise. You’ll bump into salarymen letting their hair down and youths staring at their phones, as well as groups of prowling thugs with suits as loud as the clamour and thumping beats emanating from clubs and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/gallery/2014/aug/20/japanese-pachinko-pinball-game-in-pictures">pachinko parlours</a>. </p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/games/2018/mar/15/yakuza-6-song-life-review-gangster-game-saga">Continue reading...</a>GamesPlayStation 4CulturePlaystationThu, 15 Mar 2018 14:06:59 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/games/2018/mar/15/yakuza-6-song-life-review-gangster-game-sagaPhotograph: SegaPhotograph: SegaChris Schilling2018-03-15T14:06:59ZTomb Raider review – Alicia Vikander's Lara Croft is a badass borehttps://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/mar/14/tomb-raider-review-alicia-vikander-dominic-west-lara-croft
<p>The rebooted action heroine channels the spirit of Indiana Jones – and creepy daddy issues – in a dull, derivative romp</p><p>Dave Allen once said that men know they’re getting older when they watch <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/aug/01/sunset-boulevard-what-billy-wilders-satire-really-tells-us-about-hollywood">Sunset Boulevard</a> and realise they find Gloria Swanson quite attractive. Similarly, a certain generation will sense the grim reaper’s presence now that <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/angelinajolie">Angelina Jolie</a> is no longer the screen face of Lara Croft, because the mantle has passed to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/alicia-vikander">Alicia Vikander</a>.</p><p>This Lara is notably more serious and sensitive, and unlike Jolie, or the figure in the 90s video game – or indeed Karen Gillan in <a draggable="true" href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/dec/09/jumanji-welcome-to-the-jungle-review-dwayne-the-rock-johnson-jack-black-karen-gillan">the new Jumanji movie</a> – she doesn’t have to wear cute shorts or revealing clothes, which is fair enough. But she does an awful lot of very pathetic and borderline creepy daddy-daughter pining for that all-important man in her life. It’s a fantastically lacklustre appearance from <a draggable="true" href="https://www.theguardian.com/culture/dominic-west">Dominic West</a> as the stately parent from a stately home, the daring anthropologist “Lord Richard Croft” (the son of a duke or earl, perhaps?). </p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/mar/14/tomb-raider-review-alicia-vikander-dominic-west-lara-croft">Continue reading...</a>Tomb RaiderAlicia VikanderFilmCultureGamesDramaAction and adventureWed, 14 Mar 2018 17:00:13 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/mar/14/tomb-raider-review-alicia-vikander-dominic-west-lara-croftPhotograph: Allstar/Warner Bros.Photograph: Allstar/Warner Bros.Peter Bradshaw2018-03-14T17:00:13ZPlayTable tablet uses blockchain technology to enhance board gameshttps://www.theguardian.com/games/2018/mar/14/playtable-tablet-blockchain-technology-enhance-board-games-blokparty
<p>Bored of normal board games? A San Francisco company has developed a tablet system to ride the resurgence in tabletop gaming </p><p>San Francisco-based company Blok.Party has developed a new way to play board games using blockchain technology: the PlayTable, a hybrid of video games console and table-sized tablet.</p><p>Designed to enhance the experience of playing tabletop games, the system will launch with digital versions of popular board games such as Catan, Ticket to Ride and Texas Hold ’Em, and a bespoke game called Battlegrids that illustrates how <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jan/30/blockchain-buzzword-hype-open-source-ledger-bitcoin">blockchain</a> tech can change how you play.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/games/2018/mar/14/playtable-tablet-blockchain-technology-enhance-board-games-blokparty">Continue reading...</a>GamesTechnologyBoard gamesCultureToysHobbiesLife and styleTablet computersComputingWed, 14 Mar 2018 17:00:13 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/games/2018/mar/14/playtable-tablet-blockchain-technology-enhance-board-games-blokpartyPhotograph: Katerina Hung/Blok.PartyPhotograph: Katerina Hung/Blok.PartyKeza MacDonald2018-03-14T17:00:13ZWhy sexism is rife in Silicon Valleyhttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/17/sexual-harassment-silicon-valley-emily-chang-brotopia-interview
<p>The tech industry doesn’t simply tolerate gender discrimination, it’s hardwired to marginalise women, says author Emily Chang</p><p><strong>Emily Chang is an American journalist and host of the US TV show </strong><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/series/bloomberg-technology"><strong>Bloomberg Technology</strong></a><strong>. Her new book, Brotopia, is an exposé of Silicon Valley’s macho culture.</strong></p><p><strong>What is Brotopia?</strong><br>It’s this idea that Silicon Valley is a modern utopia where anyone can change the world or make their own rules, if they are a man. But if you are a woman it is incomparably harder. And that shows in the numbers. Women-led companies get just 2% of venture capital funding. That is egregious, especially in an industry that prides itself on being a meritocracy where anyone can succeed. We need people of all backgrounds to be making these products, because people everywhere are using them.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/17/sexual-harassment-silicon-valley-emily-chang-brotopia-interview">Continue reading...</a>Sexual harassmentSilicon ValleyDiscrimination at workHarvey WeinsteinTechnologyUberGoogleWorld newsSat, 17 Mar 2018 13:00:34 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/17/sexual-harassment-silicon-valley-emily-chang-brotopia-interviewPhotograph: Jim Wilson/NYTPhotograph: Jim Wilson/NYTZoë Corbyn2018-03-17T13:00:34Z'They'll squash you like a bug': how Silicon Valley keeps a lid on leakershttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/16/silicon-valley-internal-work-spying-surveillance-leakers
<p>Working for a tech company may sound like all fun and ping-pong, but behind the facade is a ruthless code of secrecy – and retribution for those who break it</p><p>One day last year, John Evans (not his real name) received a message from his manager at Facebook telling him he was in line for a promotion. When they met the following day, she led him down a hallway praising his performance. However, when she opened the door to a meeting room, he came face to face with members of Facebook’s secretive “rat-catching” team, led by the company’s head of investigations, Sonya Ahuja.<br></p><p>The interrogation was a technicality; they already knew he was guilty of leaking some innocuous information to the press. They had records of a screenshot he’d taken, links he had clicked or hovered over, and they strongly indicated they had accessed chats between him and the journalist, dating back to before he joined the company.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/16/silicon-valley-internal-work-spying-surveillance-leakers">Continue reading...</a>Silicon ValleyTechnologyGoogleUS newsFacebookAlphabetSocial networkingSurveillanceFri, 16 Mar 2018 09:00:00 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/16/silicon-valley-internal-work-spying-surveillance-leakersPhotograph: Jeff Chiu/APPhotograph: Jeff Chiu/APOlivia Solon in San Francisco2018-03-16T09:00:00ZUber accused of silencing women who claim sexual assault by drivershttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/15/uber-class-action-lawsuit-sexual-assault-rape-arbitration
<p>Court records reveal company says women must settle through arbitration, a move critics say stops the public from learning of rapes<br></p><p>Uber is trying to force women who say they were sexually assaulted by drivers to resolve their claims behind closed doors rather than in the courts,<strong> </strong>a move that critics say silences victims and shields the company from public scrutiny.</p><p>Court records in a California class-action lawsuit revealed that the ride-sharing firm has argued that female passengers who speak up about being raped in an Uber must individually settle their cases through arbitration, a private process that often results in confidentiality agreements. </p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/15/uber-class-action-lawsuit-sexual-assault-rape-arbitration">Continue reading...</a>UberTechnologyRape and sexual assaultGig economyUS newsBusinessSilicon ValleyFri, 16 Mar 2018 02:09:01 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/15/uber-class-action-lawsuit-sexual-assault-rape-arbitrationPhotograph: Tyrone Siu/ReutersPhotograph: Tyrone Siu/ReutersSam Levin in San Francisco2018-03-16T02:09:01ZPeter Thiel: Europe is cracking down on Silicon Valley out of 'jealousy'https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/15/peter-thiel-silicon-valley-europe-regulation
<p>PayPal co-founder says regulators envy industry’s success in US: ‘There are no successful tech companies in Europe’</p><p>European regulators are clamping down on Silicon Valley companies because they are “jealous” of the success of the technology industry in the US, according to PayPal co-founder and investor Peter Thiel.</p><p>Speaking about the looming threat of regulation for these companies, Thiel said that the “threat is probably greater in Europe” and there are “good reasons and bad reasons”. <br></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/15/peter-thiel-silicon-valley-europe-regulation">Continue reading...</a>Peter ThielSilicon ValleyTechnologyArtificial intelligence (AI)EuropeThu, 15 Mar 2018 19:08:48 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/15/peter-thiel-silicon-valley-europe-regulationPhotograph: Jacky Naegelen / Reuters/ReutersPhotograph: Jacky Naegelen / Reuters/ReutersOlivia Solon in San Francisco2018-03-15T19:08:48ZBombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story review – a remarkable double lifehttps://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/mar/11/bombshell-the-hedy-lamarr-story-review
By day, a glamorous film star, by night a technology pioneer<p>It is, as one interviewee says, the ultimate “crime fighter by night” story. By day, <a href="https://www.hedylamarr.com/" title="">Hedy Lamarr</a> was the most glamorous star in Hollywood. By night, she was an inventor whose frequency-hopping technology is now used in bluetooth and wifi. This rousing documentary charts the story of a brilliant woman who was, in some ways, handicapped by her beauty. Film-maker Alexandra Dean explores a fascinating life full of contradictions. Lamarr claimed that&nbsp;the world never saw her true self, yet she lived her final years as a recluse, hidden even from her family. She was an immigrant who gave her all to support her adopted country but who was always regarded as an outsider.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/mar/11/bombshell-the-hedy-lamarr-story-review">Continue reading...</a>DocumentaryFilm industryTechnologyFilmCultureSun, 11 Mar 2018 08:00:41 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/mar/11/bombshell-the-hedy-lamarr-story-reviewPhotograph: PRPhotograph: PRWendy Ide2018-03-11T08:00:41ZBombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story review – startling life of the film star/inventorhttps://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/mar/09/bombshell-the-hedy-lamarr-story-review-alexandra-dean
<p>This excellent documentary celebrates the glamorous Hollywood icon and brilliant engineer whose groundbreaking work led to Bluetooth and wifi</p><p>There can hardly be any more extraordinary story from the Hollywood golden age than that of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2000/jan/20/2">Hedy Lamarr</a>; a very beautiful star with a moderate acting talent but an untutored brilliance in science and engineering that should by now be getting her compared to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/nikola-tesla">Nikola Tesla</a>, or maybe even a neglected female scientist like <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/jun/23/sexism-in-science-did-watson-and-crick-really-steal-rosalind-franklins-data">Rosalind Franklin</a>. Her tragedy was that she was in the wrong business, precisely that business that promotes beauty over brains – the movie business.</p><p>Alexandra Dean’s excellent and important documentary about her is very instructive – a parable of modern sexual politics and assumptions about science. Even now, many can’t believe in their hearts that movie star Hedy Lamarr really was a scientist, or scientist <em>manqué</em>. The accomplishment simply doesn’t square with the accepted female star biography narrative into which Lamarr otherwise fits: movies, husbands, poignant reclusive decline etc. Many film encyclopedias and reference books simply omit what was important about Hedy Lamarr.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/mar/09/bombshell-the-hedy-lamarr-story-review-alexandra-dean">Continue reading...</a>DocumentaryHedy LamarrCelebrityFilmCultureWomenTechnologyFilm industryLife and styleEngineeringBluetoothWifiFri, 09 Mar 2018 06:00:30 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/mar/09/bombshell-the-hedy-lamarr-story-review-alexandra-deanPhotograph: PRPhotograph: PRPeter Bradshaw2018-03-09T06:00:30ZSamsung Galaxy S9+ review: the best big-screen smartphone by mileshttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/08/samsung-galaxy-s9-review-big-screen-phone-camera-top-end-smartphone-battery-life
<p>Gorgeous screen and excellent camera are highlights of this top-end phone, but battery life could be improved</p><p>Having ushered in a new super-slim bezel design at the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/apr/21/samsung-galaxy-s8-review-smartphone-infinity-display-iris-scanner">beginning of 2017 with the S8</a>, has Samsung’s new dual-aperture, dual camera enough to entice people to upgrade?<br></p><p>It’s fair to say the Galaxy S9+ looks practically identical to its <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/apr/28/samsung-galaxy-s8-review-battery-infinity-screen">predecessor</a>. It’s got the same curved glass design, metal sides and lump-less camera on the back, and while it is 1.4mm shorter, 0.4mm wider and 0.4mm thicker than <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/apr/28/samsung-galaxy-s8-review-battery-infinity-screen">the S8+</a>, you’ll need a ruler to notice.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/08/samsung-galaxy-s9-review-big-screen-phone-camera-top-end-smartphone-battery-life">Continue reading...</a>SamsungSmartphonesAndroidMobile phonesTechnologyGadgetsTelecomsThu, 08 Mar 2018 16:13:57 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/08/samsung-galaxy-s9-review-big-screen-phone-camera-top-end-smartphone-battery-lifePhotograph: Samuel Gibbs for the GuardianPhotograph: Samuel Gibbs for the GuardianSamuel Gibbs2018-03-08T16:13:57ZProfile review – Skyping-with-Isis thriller dials up the suspensehttps://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/feb/20/profile-review-skyping-with-isis-thriller-dials-up-the-suspense
<p>Timur Bekmambetov’s film about a journalist investigating women online being lured to Syria is silly but effective</p><p>Cinema is currently deciding how it meets the challenge of representing the way modern life and modern experience is increasingly happening online. The recent supernatural horror-thriller <a draggable="true" href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/apr/30/unfriended-review-chilling-cyberbulling-tale-skype">Unfriended</a> had the ingenious idea of playing out its entire drama on one computer screen in real time, a kind of found-footage 2.0, switching between Facebook, Skype and instant messaging, the various prompts all bleeping and pinging away disturbingly as a sinister presence looms up. Russian director Timur Bekmambetov (who went to Hollywood in the last decade for brash and crass movies such as <a draggable="true" href="https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2008/jun/25/film.actionandadventure">Wanted</a>) has applied this approach to a thriller that asks the eternal question: what happens when cops or reporters with unsatisfactory home lives go undercover among people who actually treat them rather well?</p><p>Profile is based on the 2015 non-fiction bestseller <a draggable="true" href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/26/french-journalist-poses-muslim-convert-isis-anna-erelle">In the Skin of a Jihadist</a> by a French journalist who now has round-the-clock police protection and has changed her name to Anna Erelle. She was investigating the phenomenon of young European women being radicalised online and lured to Syria; Erelle created a fake profile on Facebook and began chatting to a senior Islamic State commander who then tried to lure her over, repeatedly promising her that she would be his “bride”. A very dangerous game.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/feb/20/profile-review-skyping-with-isis-thriller-dials-up-the-suspense">Continue reading...</a>Berlin film festival 2018Berlin film festivalFestivalsCultureFilmIslamic StateTechnologySkypeSyriaDramaInternetMiddle East and North AfricaTelecomsWorld newsFilm adaptationsBooksTue, 20 Feb 2018 10:44:40 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/feb/20/profile-review-skyping-with-isis-thriller-dials-up-the-suspensePhotograph: PRPhotograph: PRPeter Bradshaw2018-02-20T10:44:40ZSonos One review: the best smart speaker for audiophileshttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/15/sonos-one-review-best-smart-speaker-audiophiles-amazon-alexa
<p>The company’s first foray into smart tech adds Amazon’s Alexa to a great wireless speaker to create a formidable combo</p><p>Having practically invented the multi-room wireless speaker category in 2005, Sonos has lagged behind in the race to become smart. Now the Sonos One is here, packing Alexa in the top and premium audio in the bottom.<br></p><p>The Sonos One is very deliberately designed to look, feel and sound like the company’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/oct/14/sonos-play-1-review">successful Play: 1</a> – a compact wireless speaker launched in 2013 at about £150 that was arguably the best for the money for years. Side-by-side they look identical apart from the top of the speaker, which is flat on the One, perforated by holes for the microphones that enable the voice assistant to hear you.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/15/sonos-one-review-best-smart-speaker-audiophiles-amazon-alexa">Continue reading...</a>Smart speakersAmazon AlexaTechnologyGadgetsThu, 15 Feb 2018 07:00:09 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/15/sonos-one-review-best-smart-speaker-audiophiles-amazon-alexaPhotograph: Samuel Gibbs for the GuardianPhotograph: Samuel Gibbs for the GuardianSamuel Gibbs2018-02-15T07:00:09ZApple HomePod review: Siri lets down best sounding smart speakerhttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/13/apple-homepod-review-siri-best-sounding-smart-speaker
<p>It’s the wifi speaker to beat in terms of audio but being locked in to Apple services is frustrating and its voice assistant is lacking </p><p>After much anticipation, and speculation that Apple has missed the boat and handed victory to Amazon’s champion Echo, the HomePod smart speaker is finally here. But is it actually any good? And why exactly does it cost four times as much as an Echo?<br tabindex="-1"></p><p>The HomePod is a voice-controlled speaker that listens out for its wake word “Hey, Siri” and then starts streaming what you say to Apple to interpret your commands and play whatever it is you wish. The fabric-covered cylinder stands an <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/nov/10/iphone-x-review-apple-face-id-all-screen-design-home-button">iPhone X</a>-and-a-bit tall (172mm) with a diameter of an iPhone X (142mm), weighing 2.5kg (14.4 times the iPhone X).</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/13/apple-homepod-review-siri-best-sounding-smart-speaker">Continue reading...</a>AppleApple MusicSmart speakersTechnologyGadgetsTue, 13 Feb 2018 07:00:08 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/13/apple-homepod-review-siri-best-sounding-smart-speakerPhotograph: The GuardianPhotograph: The GuardianSamuel Gibbs2018-02-13T07:00:08ZHonor 10 View review: cut-price top smartphone with two-day battery lifehttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/09/honor-10-view-review-price--top-smartphone-with-two-day-battery-life
<p>It might only come in blue but you’d have to spend a lot more than £449 to find a better smartphone than this</p><p>The Honor 10 View’s all-screen design, great performance and stellar battery life puts rival phones retailing at twice the price to shame, making you question why you’re paying any more for a top-end smartphone in 2018.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/09/honor-10-view-review-price--top-smartphone-with-two-day-battery-life">Continue reading...</a>HuaweiSmartphonesAndroidMobile phonesTechnologyFri, 09 Feb 2018 07:00:49 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/09/honor-10-view-review-price--top-smartphone-with-two-day-battery-lifePhotograph: Samuel Gibbs for the GuardianPhotograph: Samuel Gibbs for the GuardianSamuel Gibbs2018-02-09T07:00:49ZAmazon Echo Spot review: cute smart speaker with a screenhttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/05/amazon-echo-spot-review-cute-smart-speaker-screen-alarm-clock
<p>The firm’s latest Alexa-powered addition to its Echo range adds a clock and touchscreen interface to the mix</p><p>Amazon’s new Echo Spot is one of the most novel takes on a smart speaker yet, and while it is certainly more than just a smart clock, that’s what it’s best at – an attractive voice-assisted smart desk or bedside-table accessory.<br></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/05/amazon-echo-spot-review-cute-smart-speaker-screen-alarm-clock">Continue reading...</a>Amazon AlexaAmazonSmart speakersSmart homesGadgetsTechnologyVoice recognitionMon, 05 Feb 2018 09:00:51 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/05/amazon-echo-spot-review-cute-smart-speaker-screen-alarm-clockPhotograph: Samuel Gibbs for the GuardianPhotograph: Samuel Gibbs for the GuardianSamuel Gibbs2018-02-05T09:00:51ZFitbits for kids? Better yet, encourage them to hopscotch – and tell them they are lovedhttps://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/19/fitbits-for-kids-better-yet-encourage-them-to-hopscotch-and-tell-them-they-are-loved
Fitness trackers are the boring cusp of the quantified self movement – but surely the true self can’t be found through wearable tech<p>The latest product from Fitbit is called Ace. It is designed for children aged eight to 13 years old, and will help parents monitor their offspring’s health. (“Ace”, to my ears, sounds like the online username of a predatory catfish, but let’s leave that to one side.) I’m not sure how it will work – presumably there’s a gamification element for the kids, socially sharing movement and sleep levels, and rewarding healthy choices. Or maybe it simply electrocutes them if they go into a fried chicken shop.</p><p>As any right-thinking person knows, technology peaked with the invention of the pyramid teabag. But only a fool wouldn’t admit to the sophistication of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jun/21/fitbit-digital-health-revolution" title="">activity trackers like Fitbit</a>. Embedded with accelerometers and altimeters, they disapprovingly calculate the number of stairs climbed, calories consumed and breaths taken, producing in-app graphs that prove you are a human sausage who will die at the desk of a job you hate. The scrutiny doesn’t end there. Fitbit has announced that it is <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2017/8/30/16227040/fitbit-sleep-apnea-tracking-ionic-smartwatch-sensors" title="">looking into sensors that can track sleep apnea</a>. Apple wants its <a href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/16/11/15/apple-patent-refines-health-monitoring-headphone-invention-to-accommodate-airpods" title="">earbuds to measure how much we sweat</a>. Wearable blood glucose meters are being piloted, and in a few months, we will see personal hydration monitors on sale. This year, the sound of summer will be a wristband nagging you to put down the WKD and slam a Robinsons fruit shoot instead. Better than Ed Sheeran, I suppose.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/19/fitbits-for-kids-better-yet-encourage-them-to-hopscotch-and-tell-them-they-are-loved">Continue reading...</a>Wearable technologyTechnologyMon, 19 Mar 2018 06:59:26 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/19/fitbits-for-kids-better-yet-encourage-them-to-hopscotch-and-tell-them-they-are-lovedPhotograph: TV, Print Ads, Digital Ads, Web, Social, PR, Email, Signage, Packaging, ChannelPhotograph: TV, Print Ads, Digital Ads, Web, Social, PR, Email, Signage, Packaging, ChannelRhik Samadder2018-03-19T06:59:26ZAmazon working to fix Alexa after users report random burst of 'creepy' laughterhttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/07/amazon-alexa-random-creepy-laughter-company-fixing
<p>The company acknowledged the issue after some reported their devices had developed an unsettling new skill<br></p><p>The robot wars are coming, and Alexa will have the last laugh.</p><p>Amazon acknowledged on Wednesday that some of its Alexa-enabled devices have developed a new skill: creeping out their owners with unexpected and unwarranted bursts of robotic laughter.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/07/amazon-alexa-random-creepy-laughter-company-fixing">Continue reading...</a>AmazonInternet of thingsSmart homesTechnologyUS newsInternetWed, 07 Mar 2018 22:12:33 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/07/amazon-alexa-random-creepy-laughter-company-fixingPhotograph: Elaine Thompson/APPhotograph: Elaine Thompson/APJulia Carrie Wong in San Francisco2018-03-07T22:12:33ZMy advice after a year without tech: rewild yourself | Mark Boylehttps://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/19/a-year-without-tech-debt-gadgets-reconnect-nature
We can’t all go and live in the woods, of course. But if we resist debt, resist gadgets, and reconnect with nature, the world might just change<p>Having once been an early adopter of tech, I was an unlikely early rejector. But it has now been <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/dec/19/life-without-technology-rejecting-technology" title="">over a year</a> since I have phoned my family or friends, logged on to antisocial media, sent a text message, checked email, browsed online, took a photograph or listened to electronic music. Living and working on a smallholding without electricity, fossil fuels or running water, the last year has taught me much about the natural world, society, the state of our shared culture, and what it means to be human in a time when the boundaries between man and machine are blurring.</p><p>My reasons for unplugging, during that time, haven’t so much changed as shifted in importance. My primary motives were – and still are – ecological. The logic was simple enough. Even if used minimally, a single smartphone (or toaster, internet server, solar panel, sex robot) relies on the entire industrial megamachine for its production, marketing and consumption.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/19/a-year-without-tech-debt-gadgets-reconnect-nature">Continue reading...</a>TechnologySmartphonesMobile phonesSocial networkingMediaEnvironmental activismEnvironmentMon, 19 Mar 2018 08:00:27 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/19/a-year-without-tech-debt-gadgets-reconnect-natureIllustration: Kirsty AlstonIllustration: Kirsty AlstonMark Boyle2018-03-19T08:00:27ZShould I buy a NAS drive to back up my laptop?https://www.theguardian.com/technology/askjack/2018/mar/15/should-i-buy-a-nas-drive-back-up-my-laptop-usb-hard-drive
<p>Adele wants to improve her backup options and has read that NAS devices are her best bet. It ain’t necessarily so</p><p>I use a 1TB USB hard drive – it’s connected to my wifi router – as the main storage for my home laptop and mobile. I don’t have a secondary backup and have read that NAS drives are a better option for this. Would this be OK as backup storage? I also have some documents/pictures on OneDrive. <strong>Adele</strong></p><p>The most important thing to remember about hard drives is that they fail. In fact, the seven-year-old 2TB USB drive I was using to backup my desktop PC failed on Saturday. That wasn’t a problem because my PC’s hard drive was still fine and I had my 2TB backup backed up to an 8TB USB drive. (The 8TB drive also backs up the backups to two laptops.) On Monday, I replaced the dead drive with a new 4TB USB 3.0 drive, because you can never have too much backup space, and it’s really not worth buying anything smaller.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/askjack/2018/mar/15/should-i-buy-a-nas-drive-back-up-my-laptop-usb-hard-drive">Continue reading...</a>TechnologyComputingSoftwareThu, 15 Mar 2018 10:42:00 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/askjack/2018/mar/15/should-i-buy-a-nas-drive-back-up-my-laptop-usb-hard-drivePhotograph: Johner Images/Getty Images/Johner RFPhotograph: Johner Images/Getty Images/Johner RFJack Schofield2018-03-15T10:42:00Z'Not welcome here': Amazon faces growing resistance to its second homehttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/15/not-welcome-here-amazon-faces-growing-resistance-to-its-second-home
<p>As cities vie to host second campus, local activists say the ‘Hunger Games’-style competition is a bad deal for everyone – except Amazon<br></p><p>What do you get for the man who has everything? When it comes to Jeff Bezos – the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/jeff-bezos/">richest man in the world</a> with around $130bn to his name – many US cities <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jan/19/amazon-second-headquarters-hunt-cities-viral-stunts">competing to host Amazon’s second headquarters</a> have an answer: billions of dollars in tax incentives. </p><p>That proposition has united an ideologically diverse group of dissenters to Amazon’s grand HQ2 competition, ranging from rightwing organizations linked to the Koch brothers to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Groups and individuals that would normally agree only to mutual disdain and distrust have somehow come around to the same conclusion: that Amazon’s decision to pit 20 cities against each other in a fight to host a future hub is a bad deal for everyone except Amazon. </p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/15/not-welcome-here-amazon-faces-growing-resistance-to-its-second-home">Continue reading...</a>AmazonJeff BezosE-commerceTechnologyUS newsInternetUS taxationThu, 15 Mar 2018 10:00:33 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/15/not-welcome-here-amazon-faces-growing-resistance-to-its-second-homePhotograph: Jason Redmond/AFP/Getty ImagesPhotograph: Jason Redmond/AFP/Getty ImagesJulia Carrie Wong in San Francisco2018-03-15T10:00:33ZMeet the tech evangelist who now fears for our mental healthhttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/15/meet-the-tech-evangelist-who-now-fears-for-our-mental-health
<p>Belinda Parmar was a passionate advocate of the digital revolution – but has started keeping her family’s smartphones and laptops locked away to protect her loved ones. Is she right to be so worried?</p><p>In Belinda Parmar’s bedroom there is a wardrobe, and inside that wardrobe there is a safe. Inside that safe is not jewellery or cash or personal documents, but devices: mobile phones, a laptop, an iPod, chargers and remote controls. Seven years ago, Parmar was the high priestess of tech empowerment. Founder of the consultancy Lady Geek, she saw it as her mission both to make tech work better for girls and women and to get more girls and women working for tech. Now she wants to talk about the damage it can cause to our mental health, to family life and to children, including her son Jedd, 11, and daughter Rocca, 10.</p><p>Parmar made her living and lived her life through these devices, so what happened to make her lock them up? Why did this tech evangelist lose her faith?</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/15/meet-the-tech-evangelist-who-now-fears-for-our-mental-health">Continue reading...</a>TechnologyMental healthHealthHealth & wellbeingInternetGoogleFacebookPsychologyAppsSocial networkingSmartphonesMobile phonesChildrenChildren's techSilicon ValleyThu, 15 Mar 2018 06:00:28 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/15/meet-the-tech-evangelist-who-now-fears-for-our-mental-healthPhotograph: Teri Pengilley for the GuardianPhotograph: Teri Pengilley for the GuardianMoya Sarner2018-03-15T06:00:28ZBig data for the people: it's time to take it back from our tech overlordshttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/14/tech-big-data-capitalism-give-wealth-back-to-people
<p>A small number of companies have become extraordinarily rich by harvesting our data. But that wealth belongs to the many</p><p>Google knows you’re pregnant. Spotify knows your favorite throwback jams.</p><p>Is this convenient or creepy? It depends. One minute, you’re grateful for the personalized precision of Netflix’s recommendations. The next, you’re nauseated by the personalized precision of a Facebook ad.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/14/tech-big-data-capitalism-give-wealth-back-to-people">Continue reading...</a>Big dataTechnologySilicon ValleyInternetWed, 14 Mar 2018 10:00:04 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/14/tech-big-data-capitalism-give-wealth-back-to-peoplePhotograph: Sam MorrisPhotograph: Sam MorrisBen Tarnoff2018-03-14T10:00:04ZMy May-Thatcher deepfake won't fool you but its tech may change the worldhttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/12/may-thatcher-deepfake-face-swap-tech-change-world
<p>Yes, my AI face-swap attempts might show how hard it is to make a deepfake – but it’s getting easier every day</p><p>MPs from the House of Commons inquiry into fake news were warned last week of a new AI technology that is about to change the world, and not for the better.</p><p>“We’re rapidly moving into an era where the Russians, or any other adversary, can create our public figures saying or doing things that are disgraceful or highly corrosive to public trust,” Edward Lucas, the senior vice president of the Centre for European Policy Analysis told MPs. “And we’re not remotely ready for this.”</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/12/may-thatcher-deepfake-face-swap-tech-change-world">Continue reading...</a>Artificial intelligence (AI)TechnologyComputingAppsPoliticsUK newsWorld newsUS newsDonald TrumpMargaret ThatcherTheresa MayBoris JohnsonMon, 12 Mar 2018 06:00:07 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/12/may-thatcher-deepfake-face-swap-tech-change-worldPhotograph: Alex Hern for the GuardianPhotograph: Alex Hern for the GuardianAlex Hern2018-03-12T06:00:07ZElon Musk: we must colonise Mars to preserve our species in a third world warhttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/11/elon-musk-colonise-mars-third-world-war
<p>Founder of SpaceX, which is working on getting humans to the planet, speaks at SXSW amid rising nuclear tension</p><p>Humans must prioritise the colonisation of Mars so the species can be conserved in the event of a third world war, SpaceX and Tesla founder Elon Musk said on Sunday.</p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/11/trump-north-korea-kim-jong-un-denuclearisation-pompeo-shah">Trump under pressure over chaotic approach to North Korea nuclear talks</a> </p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/11/elon-musk-colonise-mars-third-world-war">Continue reading...</a>Elon MuskMarsUS newsSpaceXSpaceSun, 11 Mar 2018 20:50:33 GMThttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/11/elon-musk-colonise-mars-third-world-warPhotograph: Diego Donamaria/Getty Images for SXSWPhotograph: Diego Donamaria/Getty Images for SXSWOlivia Solon2018-03-11T20:50:33Z